The nurse came over to examine. Finding that the amniotic fluid had not ruptured yet, she let them wait a little longer.
However, Xiao's condition came on very quickly. No sooner had she finished speaking than Xiao's water broke.
Pei Jing followed her into the delivery room. This time, no one stopped him.
Thanks to the baby swap incident, the parturient could now have someone accompany them during labor, but in order to prevent scaring anyone, there was a rule that they could only supervise from behind a curtain.
In the dead of night, the cry of a baby was heard. Pei Jing was immersed in joy.
This was the first time out of three births that he saw the baby first.
He took his long-awaited son from the nurse and walked to Xiao in excitement and nervousness, only then remembering to ask, "Are you okay?"
Xiao was covered in cold sweat, her complexion pale. She nodded slightly, "I'm fine, how's the baby?"
"Great. He's a healthy child, even chubbier than his brothers and sisters when they were born," he said, kissing the baby's small, smooth forehead.
The baby, who had had his eyes closed, suddenly twisted his little head, as if trying to avoid it.
Pei Jing smiled. He took the baby out and handed him to An ZhiXian, who was waiting outside, before going back in to pick up Xiao.
In the hospital room, she fell into deep sleep, unaware that Pei Jing watched the baby intently for half the night without even blinking once.
Just then, Pei Jing sensed a gaze coming from the door that didn't escape his alertness.
He glanced outside but couldn't see clearly through the door.
Looking back at Xiao lying in bed, he gently placed the baby next to her before turning to walk to the door.
Opening it, there was no one outside. Only a nurse from the next room had just finished checking and was walking over.
Pei Jing took two steps back to let the nurse in. Seeing that Xiao was asleep, she briefly checked and then left.
Later that night, Pei Jing still felt that gaze lingering.
Acting stealthily, he quietly moved to the door and suddenly threw it open, only to see Zhao Runze standing outside.
Seemingly not expecting to be discovered, Zhao showed a brief moment of panic before regaining his composure.
"Comrade Zhao, what are you doing here?" Pei Jing asked first.
"Comrade Pei, don't get me wrong. I just...wanted to see her." Zhao Runze felt guilty. After all, Pei Jing had already made it clear enough last time they met.
But he couldn't stand it. He was also somewhat unwilling.
He would often linger around Pei's house, but Xiao rarely went out. The few times she did, he wasn't so lucky to run into her.
But he remembered this time.
He had only wanted to try his luck. Because this life was different, that child might not be born again. Yet, unexpectedly, she gave birth today after all.
Except this time, the father of her child was someone else. The outcome would surely be different as well, right?
Whenever Zhao thought this, he felt more and more upset.
He didn't understand - if they were doomed to not be together in this life, what was the purpose of him having those memories?
Was it only for him to regret and suffer later, to pay the price for his cowardice in his past life?
Seeing Zhao Runze's fleeing figure, Pei Jing frowned.
Zhao Runze was not a bad person, just too repressed when it came to emotions, inevitably harboring delusions. Pei Jing was still a little worried.
Turning back into the room, he saw that Xiao had already opened her eyes and was looking at the child lying beside her.
"Who were you talking to?" Though the voices were right outside the door, it had been closed so she could only make out the background sounds and tones without understanding the words.
"It was Zhao Runze," Pei Jing didn't hide it from Xiao. He just asked her, "Did he ever bother you before?"
Xiao shook her head without any hesitation. "No. After giving birth to the triplets, I rarely went out. I haven't seen him at all."
"Why don't we go home then? Maybe the hospital leaves a dark impression. I keep feeling strangely uneasy." Before this child was born, listening to those stories, she didn't feel anything in particular, let alone towards someone she'd only met a few times like Zhao Runze.
Those memories he possessed, whether beautiful or painful, were only his alone. Xiao didn't have the slightest feeling about them.
"Let's go back at dawn, it's too late now to be convenient." Since Pei Jing knew she could recuperate on her own at home no slower than at the hospital, there was no real need to stay. Thus he agreed.
Although still weak, she was no longer sleepy. She ate Xuejing fruit unabashedly and even asked Pei Jing, "Do you want some?"
While the benefits were greater for women's recuperation, men eating them could also relieve fatigue. With so much stocked up fast in her space now, it was at a point of eating whenever she wanted.
Pei Jing did not stand on ceremony. One lying and one sitting, they munched on the fruit with crunching sounds.
The wrapped up baby wriggled about, and Pei Jing reflexively reached out to touch him, but ended up with a palmful of black poop!
"Pfft..." Xiao couldn't eat anymore and burst out laughing at his exploded reaction.
But too much joy inevitably brings sorrow. Pain assaulted her abdomen, forcing her to calm down.
Pei Jing put down his half-eaten fruit and stood up with hand outstretched, "Pay attention to yourself. I’ll go wash my hands first, and get some water to change our son’s diaper."
Seeing him so utterly undisturbed, Xiao curled her lips.
When he came back during the baby's diaper change, Xiao asked him, "You won't play favorites in the future, right?"
"Play favorites?" Pei Jing was busy fawning over how cute he found the child in his arms, without any time to think.
"Yes, no matter how many kids we have in the future, you can't favor this little guy more just because he's the youngest." Seeing that tendency already, Xiao decided to sound an alarm for him in advance. "You can dote on the children, but I'm telling you - no favoritism. You have to treat them all equally, so they'll grow up affectionate towards each other without any grievances."
